Engine Spares For Remote Cruising

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

I don't have a permanent system set up but have been caught out with no working water pump">raw water pump.

Sorted by running garden hose from raw water strainer to shower sump pump (Jabsco) in the aft head and then back to the ( impeller-less) raw water pump on the engine... worked good... ran the engine for 7 continuous days... ( long story).

Good improvisation! I have all kinds of pumps on board (spare fresh water pressure pump, spare gray water pump, spare bilge pumps, spare macerator pump, etc., etc., etc.) and lots of miscellaneous hose, clamps, adapters, etc., so I'm sure we wouldn't get stopped by raw water flow issues.

Nevertheless, I'll have a complete spare raw water pump + rebuild kit and impellers.

Maybe I should pull the existing pump prophylactically and check the seals and bearings. Engine has over 3000 hours on it and only ever changed impellers and impeller cover (with a SpeedSeal).

I think. Sometimes I think a March pump would be a better replacement altogether. My main engine is below the waterline, so no priming issues. Hmmm.

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Good improvisation! I have all kinds of pumps on board (spare fresh water pressure pump, spare gray water pump, spare bilge pumps, spare macerator pump, etc., etc., etc.) and lots of miscellaneous hose, clamps, adapters, etc., so I'm sure we wouldn't get stopped by raw water flow issues.

Nevertheless, I'll have a complete spare raw water pump + rebuild kit and impellers.

Maybe I should pull the existing pump prophylactically and check the seals and bearings. Engine has over 3000 hours on it and only ever changed impellers and impeller cover (with a SpeedSeal).

I think. Sometimes I think a March pump would be a better replacement altogether. My main engine is below the waterline, so no priming issues. Hmmm.

We use a March pump on our 10kw Panda generator. The AC powering the pump is direct from the generator, and the set up works perfectly.

Consequently, the impeller is removed from the generator water pump, and since we don't need the small generator alternator either, the belt is removed as well.

I've considered a March pump for the raw water feed for our main engine, but for now have it plumbed to the raw water washdown pump as back-up. [As I previously described in this thread...]

Cheers! Bill

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

You're kind of stuffed if they do. But a spare one costs thousands. I don't know anyone who carries one.

I kind of figured that. It might be cheaper than finding one in east bum F##k Egypt but then again it is probably reliable. I guess I'd roll the dice your way.

[jhulmer]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

Concerning alternators - I have dual alternators on the main plus a heavy duty diesel generator. I have a spare battery charger and a spare inverter. I'm on the fence about a spare alternator.

Dockhead
one other issue with loosing the, (or one of the) alternators is that if it is a bearing locking up you loose the use of the engine. because the alternator belt on that engine also drives the freshwater cooling pump.

So either a spare alternator or a make-shift idler pulley to put in its place.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I kind of figured that. It might be cheaper than finding one in east bum F##k Egypt but then again it is probably reliable. I guess I'd roll the dice your way.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has an opinion about this.

Injection pumps are generally bulletproof provided you don't get water in them. We will have a few lines of defense against that, and probably we won't even buy any fuel along the way anyway -- we carry about 700 liters in the main tank.

Speaking of which, however -- does anyone know if the fuel is duty-free in the Faroes? If it is, we might plan on bunkering up there.

[a64pilot]

Ref a March pump for the main engine.
First it’s gonna be a BIG one, then it should vary it’s output with engine RPM, not sure that full throttle water flow in your exhaust is what you want with the engine idling.
You could of course connect a ball valve to the throttle cable to vary water flow with RPM, but main engine water pumps seem to be so reliable, I’m not so sure your fixing something that Is broken.

Now a generator is a different animal, to be fine with it’s a constant RPM, or most are anyway.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by jhulmer

Dockhead
one other issue with loosing the, (or one of the) alternators is that if it is a bearing locking up you loose the use of the engine. because the alternator belt on that engine also drives the freshwater cooling pump.

So either a spare alternator or a make-shift idler pulley to put in its place.

Thanks; a very good point.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Ref a March pump for the main engine.
First it’s gonna be a BIG one, then it should vary it’s output with engine RPM, not sure that full throttle water flow in your exhaust is what you want with the engine idling.
You could of course connect a ball valve to the throttle cable to vary water flow with RPM, but main engine water pumps seem to be so reliable, I’m not so sure your fixing something that Is broken.

Now a generator is a different animal, to be fine with it’s a constant RPM, or most are anyway.

I have a water separator and large separate drain, so I doubt that this would be a problem, but nevertheless it's a good point, and so I think Plan 'A' will be to replace the impeller pump.

Obviously you don't want any seawater flow issues on a boat with a wet exhaust, quite apart from the risk of overheating the engine.

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I have a water separator and large separate drain, so I doubt that this would be a problem, but nevertheless it's a good point, and so I think Plan 'A' will be to replace the impeller pump.

Obviously you don't want any seawater flow issues on a boat with a wet exhaust, quite apart from the risk of overheating the engine.

March pump concept doesn't work with main engines.

too much forum reading going on here!!!!

[seasick]

I run a 4JH3 HTE and do a great deal of very remote cruising. I carry many of the spares already mentioned but I wish very much that I had carried a spare set of the oil cooling lines that run from the rear top of the block to the turbo. These are steel, subject to vibration, thin walled, have banjo bolts and copper compression washers on either end and when and if they break, they tend to break very near one end or the other. These are exceedingly difficult to jury rig and such a little and inexpensive part can spell the end of your use of the entire engine.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I would be interested to know if anyone else has an opinion about this.

Injection pumps are generally bulletproof provided you don't get water in them. We will have a few lines of defense against that, and probably we won't even buy any fuel along the way anyway -- we carry about 700 liters in the main tank.

Speaking of which, however -- does anyone know if the fuel is duty-free in the Faroes? If it is, we might plan on bunkering up there.

I would not carry a spare injection pump. They are expensive and very reliable like you say.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by seasick

I run a 4JH3 HTE and do a great deal of very remote cruising. I carry many of the spares already mentioned but I wish very much that I had carried a spare set of the oil cooling lines that run from the rear top of the block to the turbo. These are steel, subject to vibration, thin walled, have banjo bolts and copper compression washers on either end and when and if they break, they tend to break very near one end or the other. These are exceedingly difficult to jury rig and such a little and inexpensive part can spell the end of your use of the entire engine.

Great advice; added to the list!

[a64pilot]

I learned something from John Muir’s VW book, on things like lines or his example was spark plug wires, carry the longest as a spare, it will fit where the shorter one goes too.
However I’d be tempted to buy some bulk hose and the banjo ends so that I could fit hose on the ends with clamps.
I’d say buy aircraft fittings as most are designed to be reusable and you only replace the hose, but I bet the Yanmar has metric fittings, and those are rare for aircraft. They do exist, just are uncommon.

[seasick]

Plus one for a64pilot. I now carry flex hose with banjo ends long enough to fit several of these external oil routing applications as well hose barbs that fit these oil cooler line outlets, spare bulk hose and small hose clamps. I have replaced with new the one that broke and plan to replace all the oil lines before our next expedition to the northern high latitudes.

[Paul L]

DH
When you are done with this list let us know what the total cost is. This is starting to sound like another plus for a catamaran with its but in spare engine.